The Will Of Fire, Not a Thing
by Cristaccio
Summary: Failing a team usually took a couple of days to Nakamura Shinji, this time he planned to be done before lunch and back to damaging his liver by dinner. That is, until he opened his eyes and faced two ghosts staring at him from a little girl with bright blue eyes and fiery red hair. Shit. It'd take a couple of days OC-fem!Naru-Team 7 centric


Nakamura Shinji stumbled his way to the Shinobi Academy of Konoha, just like he'd done the previous year, and the year before, and the year prior, and the year, uh, afore(?), when an old man and annoying woman had somehow roped him into wasting a whole bunch of his time, that he could have otherwise spent doing things he didn't hate doing, doing things he hated doing. Like walking to the Shinobi Academy of Konoha

He sighed for what felt like the thousandth time. He could have been at the at the Cucaracha, a shitty excuse of a bar that had recentely started business in the Red District, charming the panties off the lovely Akari-Chan, the only remotely appealing thing about that place apart from the cheap sake

Instead, he was forced to walk under the scorching sun, in a shitty-ass day, in a shitty-ass village, all the while enduring the most offensive shrieks of a brown haired banshee who'd been too differently intelligent to not move out of the way of what was an obviously miserable man. He sighed again, for what felt like the 1001st time, and looked up at the sky, as another idiot walked into him

As the lone man contemplated the clouds, half-hoping Kami himself would descend from the Heavens and strike him down with extreme prejudice (_eh_), it came unbidden the thought that it was still relatively early in the morning and thus, if one were the see the good in things, the day had yet to be a complete waste. He scratched his chin, covered by a short beard, confused by the feeling of not-quite-hope tentatively rising within him. It was quickly strangled by the usual crushing misery and overwhelming despair. Felt weird there.

Still, if he could manage to get to the Academy early enough, and do the whole business quick enough, then maybe he could be done for dinner, perhaps even by lunch. Afterall, kids these days believed everything, or so he'd been told. He'd just spin them a bullshit story about how they lacked, eh, will of fire, or something like that, and then he'd be on his merry back way to a bottle of cheap sake and the lovely Akari-Chan

So, yes, life wasn't good for this one miserable man, walking in this one miserable village, and his day was even worse, but maybe the latter could yet savaged, somewhat. Thus, as he moved his head back down, just the right way as to not even have to glance at the Hokage Mountain, he promised himself that savaging it he would

Then another moron crashed and yelled, and Nakamura Shinji sighed once again. He wasn't drunk enough to be so optimistic

* * *

Iruka Umino wasn't having a good day. Not the worst day, just not a good day. His back still faintly hurt, even after a few days after that no good Mizuki had tried to impale him, and his class was unusually quiet, a bittersweet reminder, even more so than the paper in his hand, that this was the day everything would change, the day this particual class of students would leave the Academy-and him-behind and strike out on their own, as shinobis and kunoichis of Konoha

Or, well, some of them would. And therein resided the source of his bad mood. Not all of them would achieve the rank of Genin, as much as he would like them to (more for their sake than his). Some would be deemed ready and others wouldn't, but that wasn't what bothered him, not at all. Afterall, that was simply how things were and, if anything, he was glad those children's safety was put at the forefront (by _responsible_ Jonin-Senseis)

What bothered Iruka Umino was the sick feeling in his gut whenever his sight came upon one specific little girl with red-hair and bright blue eyes. As a teacher, it was his job to treat all his students all the same, and he put a lot of effort into it, and yet ever since he'd gotten the news of just _who _would be teaching his, well, his favorite knucklehead he had had to stop himself short of wishing it was just about anyone else in her place

It didn't help that the feeling in his gut got even worse after he-openely questioned-the teams' formations (something he never thought he'd ever do-something he hadn't done in the years prior, when he'd been in similar situations for the same _reason_) and he found out the Hokage himself had had a hand in making them. Not really unusual, since those children _were _the future, thus making the choice of how and with _whom _they'd grow up a very important one. And there lied the issue.

The two at the top and the one at the bottom lead by the finest around. A formation tried and true that had created the likes of the Legendary Sannin, under Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Yondaime Hokage, under Jiraiya of the Sannin, and, in more recent times, even Sharingan No Kakashi, under the Yondaime herself, and now it was to be all thrown away and handed to a no go-

Iruka shook his head. He was a mere Chunin, a Sensei who cared about his students, yes, and wished the best for them, yes, but still just a Chunin. Was it really his place to question Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage, Shinobi no Kami?

No, it wasn't... and yet-

"Ne, Iruka-sensei! Stop looking sad and tell us the teams already! But, wait! Say mine first!"

-he sighed, half hoping Team 7 would pass, and half hoping they woudn't (for _their_ sake)

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki was having a great day, and nothing could change that!

Just a few days ago she had thought she hadn't really, uh, done great at her graduating exams, and then Mizuki-teme had tried to trick her, and then Iruka-sensei had told her he believed in her (_how cool is that?_), and then she had used her new kickass jutsu to kick Mizuki-teme's butt, _and then _Iruka-sensei had given her his headband (_HOW COOL IS THAT?_) and finally promoted her to Genin!

She and her favorite teacher had even gotten ramen after that-and the next day too, and the day after that! Even though he had looked kinda sad last time they'd gone, maybe 'cause he thought she'd never have time to visit once she'd get super busy doing super dangerous missions. As if, she'd always have time to visit!

So, yes, Naruto Uzumaki was having a really great day, and it would even get better once her sensei would reveal she was in a team with Sakura-chan (_second best kunoichi ever!)_, or Shika (_really lazy, but really, like, smart!_), or Chouji (_he eats a lot!_) or even Kiba (_Akamaru!_), just not with Sasuke-teme (_Bastard!_)

And about that "Ne, Iruka-sensei! Stop looking sad and tell us the teams already!But, wait! say mine first!"

Iruka sighed "I was getting to that, Naruto-Chan, don't be impatie-"

A blond girl interrupted him, staring daggers at Naruto "Hey! Why should Iruka-sensei say your team first! You're the dead last so your team should come last! Iruka-Sensei should say my team first!"

A pink haired girl spoke, well, screamed next "Shut up Ino-pig! Iruka-sensei's gonna say the team of the top kunoichi first! And you're not it!"

"Forehead-!"

"See?! Sakura-chan agrees with me, Ino! Iruka-Sensei say my team!" shouted back the red-haired girl

"No I don't Naruto-baka! You didn't understand any-!"

Unfortunately none of the three noticed their teachers' head getting bigger and bigger throughout their discussion- "SILENCE"- so all of them ended up smashing on their desk, holding their heads

"What a pain" mumbled a dark haired boy "Thanks, Choji"

"No problem, Shika" Answered the boy to his left, who'd woken his friend just in time to prevent him the same fate

The Umino coughed in his fist "As I was saying, the teams' assignments. And no, you three-" the three in question were trying to regain their bearings "-there won't be any preferences based on grades" the teacher raised the hand holding the list "The teams will be announced in the order they'r-"

Iruka was, once again, interrupted. Just, this time, by the sound of the brusquely door sliding open and a lone man walking, or, actually, stumbling into the classroom

Still half-sufferening from her busted ears, face planted on her desk, Naruto missed the man's entrance, but had a good look at him nonetheless when she raised her bright blue eyes. Had the newcomer been standing straight it would've been noticeable, even to the newly graduated kunoichi, that he was a good few inches taller than her teacher, but as it was the Chunin stood straight and tall, while the new man slouched, making him appear shorter than he was. He wore a white kimono, its color naturally unable to conceal the dirty stains that peppered it all over, that was left half-open, and hazardly thrown over a black net undershirt. Naruto couldn't quite spy the color of his eyes, because he was facing Iruka with his head stightly tilted downwards, sending shadows over his upper face, but what she could see were his dark-brown hair, which, much like the rest of his getup, looked messy and were messily arranged in a pony tail that left a few strands running on the side of his head and over his headband-free forehead. She also spied a short beard that, she didn't know, was more the result of neglect rather than choice. All in all this intruder looked like a-

"BUM!" Yelled Naruto, Ino and a boy with a dog sitting on his head

"IRUKA-SENSEI A BUM BROKE IN!" Soon added Sakura, when after a few moments nothing really happened

Iruka smiled shakily at the class, but otherwise didn't move to remove the hobo "Now, now, children, good ninjas are never hasty in their assumptions" The Umino glanced at the newcomer "Despite his ap-" he coughed nervously "-This man is not a homeless person. As a matter of fact, he will soon be some you guys' Jo-"

The bum interrupted him "Don't say that, makes me wanna bolt" His voice sounded tired and somewhat croaky, like he didn't use it much. He jerked his chin towards the the teacher and pointed his thumb at the class "And hurry it up, Sensei-sama, i wanna be done with them in two hours"

"What are you saying, bum! Why are you even still here!" Kiba shouted, standing up and startling Akamaru. Naruto would show him later for scaring the poor puppy!

"One hour" The man grumbled

Iruka, again, didn't spare the other man a glance, but his shaky smile turned fully weird, at least to Naruto's eyes "This is not the best way to present yourself, Nakamura-san"

(_Nakamura? That sounds like Akamaru, maybe he's a dog person too_)Thought Naruto, still half-thinking about the pup. Having realized something she scrunched her eyebrows "Ne, Iruka-sensei, why do you know this guy's name? You do volo-volu-help bums or something?" Maybe he did, he was really kinda kind like that

Iruka let out a breath and turned her way. It always made her feel all fuzzy when people-especially Iruka-sensei! even when he was mad!- looked at her when she talked and didn't pretend like she didn't exist "Well, no, Nakamura-san is, well, Naru-"

The bum talked over him again "Oi, what did I just say. Stop wasting my time and tell me-"

"OI! Don't be rude to Iruka-Sensei! This is last warning, mister!" Screamed Naruto as she, too, got on her feet after the dark-haired man, once again, rudely interrupted her favorite teacher

The man just sighed, not even aknowledging her, and Naruto felt herself slump a tidy bit like whenever that happened "Umino, just tell me who's who so we all can get this over with"

"Oi! Now you're gon-!" Started the red-head, having quickly gotten over the guy's apparent deafness

"Naruto!" Said girl stopped talking at Iruka's sharp intervention, who finally turned his ire to the mean bum "Look, Nakamura-san, this is highly inappropriate. You can't just barge in here, interrupt whatever we were doing, which was the teams' announcements by the way, and act like this infront of a room full of chil-students! Students, I might add, you'll soon be supposed to look after!"

Naruto, again, scrunched her eyebrows (_Is he, like, the new Janitor?_)

The man, meanwhile, had given no sign he'd been listening, so Iruka continued in a more pointed tone "And while you may not care about any of that perhaps Hokage-"

The Umino didn't finish his sentence, looking down at his hands with a startled look on his face (_Maybe he wants to slap him)_ Naruto hastily started rolling up her sleeves (_This guy gonna get it, like Mizuki-no-ba) _

As she prepared to jump in, with the corner of her eye she noticed a movement from Sasuke-teme, a strange occurrence by the red-head's standard 'cause she thought he was a zombie or something, and glancing at him again she noticed he was preoccupied staring holes into the new guy. Curious, she did too and realized the source of interest

The paper that had been in Iruka-sensei's hands since they'd all entered the classroom-the one with their teams on it!-wasn't there anymore, because the stranger was the one now holding it

"OI_, _THIEF!_/_GIVE IT BACK!" Naruto and Kiba yelled respectively

The man, again, didn't pay them any attention, too busy squeezing his eyes at the paper in his hands. Naruto looked towards Kiba, and, in a rare moment of agreement, they nodded at eachother, ready to take action. But before they could, the Uzumaki's current least favorite talked again "Yam-Yamaruna , In-Amikici Sasnaro and N-No-ah shit" He stopped, rubbed his eyes and threw the paper back at the other man. It, obviously, fell to the floor "I give up, just send the three brats to the roof" He looked out of the window and sighed, then muttered in a lower tone "no wonder they grow up wrong"

This time Naruto did see Iruka's head getting larger and larger, thus she did the smart thing and covered her ears "YOU ARE AN AS-" But the bum was gone in the blink of an eye, and Iruka went into a coughing fit

Naruto blinked again, uncovering her ears "Ne, Iruka-sensei, did you pul-pulve-make him go away or something?"

"Pulverize, Dobe" The last Uchiha offhandedly remarked wearing a pensive face, as he watched the spot where the dark-haired man had stood just a few seconds ago

"Yeah, well! You don't look cool at all with that face! You look con-cons-like you need to take a poop!" Smartly answered the red-haired girl

"Constipated, idiot" cooly answered Sasuke

"Shut up, Sasuke-teme!"

"Don't tell Sasuke-kun to shut up, Naruto-baka!" shrieked Sakura

"Shut up, forehead! Don't try to look good for Sa-!" intervened Ino

"EVERYONE SHUT UP" Again, the Umino took the three by surprise and, again, they collapsed on their desks

Iruka coughed "Anyway, that man, Nakamura-san, he's-" The teacher took a deep breath, both to allow his louder students to regain their bearings and to prepare himself for the tragic news "-no good way of saying this, i'm afraid he's a Jonin-Sensei"

"WHAT/HOW/WHY" screamed a multitude of indignant voices

So, yes, Naruto Uzumaki was having a good day, and, now having carefully considered it, it could really only get worse if she ended up with a bastard as a teammate, _or_ with a mean, smelly (_he probably smelled_), stupid-looking deaf-hobo-janitor as her Sensei

As it was, it did, in fact, get majorly worse

But it would get better

Maybe

Not really

.

.

**It's my 1st fic so dunno how to write those(AN and stories), but everyone writes them (AN) so yeah. Dunno**


End file.
